


all these ghosts come streaming down

by eggosandxmen



Category: X-Men (Comicverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Blood, Complex Timelines, Death, F/F, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, More Blood, Multi, The Editor Is So Tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 21:41:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21186419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eggosandxmen/pseuds/eggosandxmen
Summary: - and sometimes I wish I had something else.In a world where mutants use magic along with science, a world in which their souls sometimes manifest as creatures of myth, the students of Xavier’s Institute for Gifted Youngsters struggle to survive in a world that hates and fears their existence! Move over, Chris Claremont -- the next era of X-Men greatness starts here!





	all these ghosts come streaming down

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is ZANDER, the editor and half of the idea tank of this fanwork. I did not write this; my amazing friend RIVER- @moonruined- did.
> 
> Some important information before you start!
> 
> DAEMONS: The physical manifestation of someone’s soul. Commonly but not always found in mutants, sometimes also found in people.
> 
> MAGIC: The energy derived from the connection one might have with their daemon. Not the same as WANDA MAXIMOFF’s reality warping. Based in sigils, each of which is personalized to their users.
> 
> CANONICAL INFLUENCE is a secondary point to this universe. We essentially shot canon in the backyard and then used its rotting carcass as our own. The ages of every character have shifted; The UNCANNY and ORIGINAL generations are in their late thirties, the NEW MUTANTS are in their mid-twenties, the GENERATION X team are college-age, the ACADEMY X students are preteens, and the SECOND GENERATION X are children, ages 8-10. 
> 
> SCHISM was firmly not a thing; neither was M-DAY, DARK AVENGERS, MUTANT MASSACRE, SECRET EMPIRE, etc. The X-MEN still live as a largely harmonious team-as-family in XAVIER’S SCHOOL; however, CHARLES XAVIER is a bitch and so isn’t present; the ORIGINAL FIVE x-men ran away to join MAGNETO, who served principally as a FATHERLY role. The BROTHERHOOD OF EVIL MUTANTS never came into light; MAGNETO was still a villain, but he was a much better father than in canon. THE AVENGERS are the principal… annoyances, shall we say, of this work; sorry, any fans of them. 
> 
> Hit us up on tumblr- @lydiamaitland for ZANDER and @speedyshepherd for RIVER- if you have any other questions.

It was supposed to be a routine examination.

Oh, supposed to be. _Supposed to be._ Dr. Kinney couldn’t remember the last time _anything_ had gone off as it was _supposed to_ at the Facility. 

At first, everything seemed alright. X-23 (seven years old) was brought in and secured properly, the machines were working well, the others were talking quietly in the background and leaving her alone, exactly as she preferred it. For once, everything was fine.

(She _really_ should have seen it coming.)

The first indication that they had were the machines. Prone to overreactions and oversensitivity, Dr. Kinney had never paid much attention to them, nor to the people who commanded such. But today, even she noticed them malfunction, each setting off a series of ear splitting beeps that made X-23 cringe. 

(Enhanced hearing, Dr. Kinney noted, stopping herself from putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder.)

The next thing she saw were the shadows, moving together independent of light source and objects, massing like an oily cloud around the table’s legs. None of the other scientists seemed to notice, but Dr. Kinney watched, breathless and speechless, as a tendril snaked out and up to touch the back of X-23’s left hand.

After that, everything happened very quickly. The lights flickered out, several of the scientists believing that they’d finally been sniffed out by the X-Men and reacting accordingly (grabbing files and at least one scream), but nothing would have prepared them for what they saw when the lights stopped and everything was thrown into sharp contrast.

X-23 had freed himself (or been freed?) and now he sat up on the table, staring into the eyes of the biggest wolf Dr. Kinney had ever laid eyes on, taller than she was even though it was sitting down. A hush fell over the room as the scientists looked at the experiment, the experiment looked at the wolf, and the wolf looked at the experiment before raising its head and staring evenly at them.

Rice was the first to speak. “Kill it.”

“We don’t even know what it _is_!” protested Dr. Kinney.

“Kill it anyways.”

“We should really call a specialist for this,” muttered one of the other scientists. The others nodded in agreement, each looking very much like they would not like to fight what appeared to be the living embodiment of death.

“With all due respect, sir-” the unlucky lab tech quailed before Rice but pressed forward, “-I’ve heard of mutants having animals born from their souls, some say, like a -- a witch’s familiar, in the stories-”

“Impossible,” Rice sneered. “It doesn’t have a soul.”

“We don’t know that.” Rice’s head whipped around and Dr. Kinney met his glare, straightening up. “Souls are not, to my knowledge, easily measurable or identifiable in any scientific way.”

“Many things aren’t to your knowledge.” Rice scowled. “Just -- just put the animal back in its cage and we’ll get a specialist later.”

“Er-- which animal, sir?”

“X-23. Back in its cage.” 

The wolf growled at him and and Rice flinched, though he waved a hand at it (him?) and tried to seem as nonchalant as possible. “And get that mutt away from here. Find something that will hold it down and secure it somewhere away from X-23.”

The lab techs (all seemingly resigned to their fate) approached the beast warily, each ready to flinch away, but Dr. Kinney paid no attention to them -- instead, she turned on her heel and swept out, her lab coat flaring out behind her like a hero’s cape.

And maybe it was her imagination, but her coat felt heavy, as if it had been weighed down by blood.

**Author's Note:**

> This segment is the first of nineteen, and will be updating every single Saturday around this time. Thanks for reading.


End file.
